Lightweight decorative barrette

ABSTRACT

A barrette having a decorative attachment affixed along the arching outer surface of the top support member of a barrette base, and the folded ends of the attachment are tucked and attached beneath the ends of the top support member. The decorative attachment is affixed to the top support member of the base, using tape, hot-glue, thread, rivets, or any suitable fastener. The decorative attachment comprises layers of cotton webbing, plastic mesh, and grosgrain ribbon. Decorative material is applied atop the decorative attachment for added aesthetic appeal. Fray blocking agent is applied to the edges of the decorative material. Zigzag stitches may be sewn into the decorative material.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPPLICATIONS

The present application derives priority from U.S. provisional application No. 60/724,358 filed 06 Oct. 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to barrettes and, more particularly, to a lightweight decorative barrette.

2. Description of the Background

Barrettes are common hair accessories that are both aesthetically pleasing and useful because they hold hair back away from the wearer's face. They date back to early tribes in Africa, where the woods used and particular ornamentation often helps to identify the barrette's origin. Modem day barrettes having decorative attachments are bulky, and so they pull the wearer's hair, which causes discomfort and a loss of hair strands. Also as is typical with most barrettes, the decorative attachment of the barrette comes off very easily, sometimes only within days of wearing the barrette. Thus, it would be greatly advantageous to provide a lightweight barrette with a decorative attachment that is affixed to the top support member in such a manner that it does not come off easily.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a barrette that is lightweight and thus does not pull the hair of the wearer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a barrette with a decorative attachment that is affixed to the top support member in such a manner that it does not come off easily.

These and other objects are accomplished by a barrette having a decorative attachment affixed along the arching outer surface of the top support member of a barrette base, and the folded ends of the attachment are tucked and attached beneath the ends of the top support member. The decorative attachment is affixed to the top support member of the base, using tape, hot-glue, thread, rivets, or any suitable fastener. The decorative attachment comprises layers of cotton webbing, plastic mesh, and grosgrain ribbon. Decorative material is applied atop the decorative attachment for added aesthetic appeal. The decorative material may be made of satin, silk, grosgrain ribbon, woven fabric, cotton, nylon, or any other suitable fabric and can bear an infinite number of different designs. The edges of the decorative material are finished by applying a fray blocking agent to avoid fraying. Also, zigzag stitches may be sewn into the decorative material with a sewing machine to avoid fraying.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and certain modifications thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of the barrette 8.

FIG. 2 is an end perspective view of the barrette 8.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the base 1 of barrette 8.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the components of the barrette 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is a barrette 8, which has an aesthetically pleasing appearance and is more rugged. Additionally, it will not pull off hair from the wearer's head because it is lightweight.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are a bottom view and end perspective view, respectively, of the barrette 8. The barrette 8 includes a metal base 1 formed with an elongate rectangular arched support member 3, a spring arm 10 protruding inward from the support member 3, a yoke 4, a latch 6, and a clamping arm 2 pivotally attached to the yoke 4 and capable of locking into latch 6 across spring arm 10 for sandwiching a user's hair therein. The support member 3 has a decorative fabric attachment 9 affixed along the arching outer surface thereof. The decorative attachment 9 may be any decorative fabric cut from a blank into a rectangular shape to conform to the top of support member 3. However, one skilled in the art will understand that the decorative attachment 9 may be cut in other shapes as desired.

In accordance with the present invention the decorative attachment 9 is longer than the top support member 3. The folded ends of the attachment 9 are tucked and attached beneath the ends 5 of the top support member 3. There are a number of ways to affix the attachment 9 to the outer surface of the top support member 3 such that the attachment 9 does not fall off easily, thereby solving one of the long-standing problems in the barrette art. The preferred method is to insert rivets 14 through eyelets 16 formed in the top support member 3 and then through the decorative attachment 9. Rivets 14 are strong, durable fasteners and so they best facilitate keeping the decorative attachment 9 affixed to the barrette base 1. Rivets 3/32 inches in diameter work especially well and are aesthetically appealing. However, one skilled in the art will appreciate that rivets 14 of any size may be used. Another method includes taping or hot gluing the decorative attachment 9 to the outer surface of the top support member 3. Alternatively, thread can be sewn into the decorative attachment 9 and through the eyelets 16 of the top support member 3. A layer of decorative material 7 is hot glued to the top of the decorative attachment 9 to cover thread or rivets 14 and/or add aesthetic appeal.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a barrette base 1 as incorporated in the barrette 8 of FIGS. 1-2. The illustrated barrette base 1 comprises the arched support member 3, spring arm 10 protruding inward from the support member 3, yoke 4, latch 6, and clamping arm 2. The clamping arm 2 extends to a distal clasp 12 capable of locking into latch 6 across spring arm 10 for catching a user's hair. The yoke 4 comprises opposing retaining tabs for pivotally capturing distal prongs formed in the end of clamping arm 2. The clamping arm 2 is in a closed position when the clasp 12 is engaged with retaining tabs of latch 6. When the wearer squeezes retaining tabs of latch 6, the latch 6 snaps open. When the clamping arm 2 is in the open position, the wearer places the barrette 8 over his/her hair and then closes the clamping arm 2 around the hair by pushing down onto the retaining tabs of latch 6. The barrette 8 holds hair back away from the wearer's face, after the clamping arm 2 is closed around the wearer's hair. Both opposing ends 5 of support member 3 are defined by eyelets 16 for passing the rivet 14 of FIG. 2 or thread to affix the support member 3 to the decorative attachment 9. The ends 5 protrude beyond the tabs of yoke 4 and latch 6. The decorative attachment 9 is affixed to the top support member 3 of the base 1 to give the barrette 8 its ornamental appearance, and in doing so the folded ends of the attachment 9 are tucked and attached beneath the ends 5 of the support member 3. One skilled in the art should understand that other barrette bases 1 of various sizes or shapes may be used.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the disassembled components of the barrette 8. The decorative attachment 9 of the barrette 8 comprises a layer of cotton webbing 11, a layer of plastic mesh 15, and a layer of grosgrain solid color ribbon 13. Glue is applied to the plastic mesh 15 and passes through both sides of it, thereby allowing cotton webbing 11 to be applied to one side of the mesh 15 and grosgrain ribbon 13 to be applied to the opposite side of the mesh 15. The mesh 15 provides added firmness and durability to the barrette 8, yet still keeping it flexible, lightweight, and comfortable to wear. The mesh 15 also gives the barrette 8 its form. The cotton webbing 11 is cut longer than the mesh 15 and grosgrain ribbon 13, so that the webbing 11 completely covers the mesh 15 and can be folded over the ribbon 13. After layers 11, 15, 13 are hot-glued together, the decorative attachment 9 is affixed to the top support member 3 with tape, glue, thread, rivets 14, or any other suitable fastener. Specifically, the bottom of the decorative attachment 9 can be taped or hot-glued to the outer surface of the top support member 3. Contrarily, thread or rivet 14 of FIG. 2 are inserted into the eyelets 16 formed in the top support member 3 and then through the decorative attachment 9 to affix the attachment 9 to the top of the barrette base 1. Another layer of decorative material 7 is then hot glued to the top of the decorative attachment 9 to cover the thread or rivets 14 and/or add aesthetic appeal. The decorative material 7 may be made of satin, silk, grosgrain ribbon, woven fabric, cotton, nylon, or any other suitable fabric and can bear an infinite number of different designs. The edges of the decorative material 7 are finished by applying a fray blocking agent to avoid fraying, such as commercially available FrayBlock™. Also, zigzag stitches may be sewn into the decorative material 7 with a sewing machine to avoid fraying.

The above-described barrette 8 construction is very lightweight and does not pull the hair of the wearer, yet it is extremely rugged and the decorative attachment 9 is affixed to the top support member 3 in such a manner that it does not come off easily.

Having now fully set forth the preferred embodiment and certain modifications of the concept underlying the present invention, various other embodiments as well as certain variations and modifications of the embodiments herein shown and described will obviously occur to those skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with said underlying concept. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically set forth in the appended claims. 

1. A decorative barrette for holding bundles of hair, comprising: a barrette base comprising: a top support member having protruding ends comprising eyelets; a spring arm protruding inward from said top support member; a latch attached adjacent one protruding end of said support member, said latch comprising retaining tabs; a yoke attached adjacent another protruding end of said support member, said yoke comprises retaining tabs; a clamping arm pivotally attached to the yoke, said clamping arm comprising distal prongs pivotally connected to the retaining tabs of said yoke, and said clamping arm extending to an opposing clasp for releasably locking into the retaining tabs of said latch to catch a user's hair between said spring arm and clamping arm; and a decorative attachment comprising a plastic mesh layer sandwiched between a cotton webbing layer and a grosgrain ribbon layer, said decorative attachment being fixedly attached to an outer surface of said top support member and covering both ends of said top support member, said decorative attachment being fixedly attached to said top support member.
 2. A decorative barrette according to claim 1, further comprising a decorative material attached atop said decorative attachment, thereby providing added aesthetic appeal.
 3. A decorative barrette according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of fasteners for fixedly attaching said decorative attachment to an outer surface of said top support member.
 4. A decorative barrette according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of fasteners comprise a plurality of rivets passing through said eyelets of said base.
 5. A decorative barrette according to claim 1, further comprising length of tape for fixedly attaching said decorative attachment to an outer surface of said top support member.
 6. A decorative barrette according to claim 1, further comprising hot-melt glue for fixedly attaching said decorative attachment to an outer surface of said top support member.
 7. A decorative barrette according to claim 3, wherein said fasteners comprise thread passing through said eyelets of said base.
 8. A decorative barrette according to claim 1, wherein said decorative material is any one from among a group including satin, silk, grosgrain ribbon, woven fabric, cotton, and nylon.
 9. A decorative barrette according to claim 1, wherein said decorative material further comprises zigzag stitches.
 10. A decorative barrette according to claim 1, wherein a fray blocking agent is applied edgewise to said decorative material.
 11. A decorative barrette for holding bundles of hair, comprising: a barrette base comprising: a top support member having protruding ends comprising eyelets; a spring arm protruding inward from said top support member; a latch attached adjacent a protruding end of said support member, wherein said latch comprises retaining tabs; a yoke attached adjacent opposing protruding end of said support member, wherein said yoke comprises retaining tabs; a clamping arm comprising distal prongs pivotally connected to said retaining tabs of said yoke and an opposing clasp for locking into retaining tabs of said latch across said spring arm for catching a user's hair; and a decorative attachment longer than said top support member, wherein said attachment comprises a plastic mesh layer sandwiched between a cotton webbing layer and a grosgrain ribbon layer; a plurality of rivets for passing said eyelets and said decorative attachment to fixedly attach said decorative attachment to outer surface of said top support member; and a decorative material attached to top surface of said decorative attachment, thereby providing added aesthetic appeal.
 12. A method of making a decorative barrette comprising the steps of: creating a decorative attachment; cutting said decorative attachment into a shape that fits shape of top support member of a barrette base; folding ends of said decorative attachment over ends of said top support member; affixing said decorative attachment along outer surface of said top support member of said barrette base; and affixing a decorative material atop said decorative attachment.
 13. A method of making a decorative barrette according to claim 12, wherein said step of creating a decorative attachment further comprises the substeps of: cutting layers of plastic mesh, cotton webbing, and grosgrain ribbon such that plastic mesh layer is longer than said ribbon and said webbing; applying glue to a plastic mesh layer; attaching a cotton webbing layer to one surface of said plastic mesh layer; attaching a grosgrain ribbon layer to opposite surface of said plastic mesh layer; and folding ends of said cotton webbing layer over said grosgrain ribbon layer.
 14. A method of making a decorative barrette according to claim 12, further comprising the step of fray-blocking said decorative material. 